From The 74, June 4, 2025, by Sharon Kebschull Barrett
Ask teachers how much their pay matters, and they often shy away from a direct answer, feeling ashamed to admit they do their job for anything beyond a sheer love of helping students.
District leaders more openly acknowledge the importance of compensation, especially for teachers who must work a second job to make ends meet, and in regions that struggle to hire and retain educators.
But they can do more than just help their educators escape a two-job grind. In Texas, one district has made it possible for teachers to earn six-figure salaries without leaving the classroom — and without having to wait for decades.
Every state and district should make this their teachers’ reality.
How is it happening? Take a look at Midland Independent School District, in the Permian Basin.
First, the district created teams headed by teacher-leaders, following the Opportunity Culture Multi-Classroom Leader model provided by my employer, Public Impact. Participating districts around the country offer educators with records of strong student learning growth and the ability to lead adults the chance to fill these roles, reaching more students as they continue to teach while guiding small groups of colleagues to attain similar results.